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Petra is wondering when this dawn will beome day's Reviews > Jerusalem: A Cookbook
Jerusalem: A Cookbook
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Petra is wondering when this dawn will beome day's review
bookshelves: 2020-100-reviews, 2017-read, cookery-food-diet, travel-adventure-countries, reviewed
Jan 12, 2017
bookshelves: 2020-100-reviews, 2017-read, cookery-food-diet, travel-adventure-countries, reviewed
One Israeli Breaking Breads and one Palestinian, Palestine on a Plate: cookbook read, now one by an Israeli and a Palestinian. Both were born in Jerusalem in the same year and neither wanted to tell their parents they were gay. They weren't lovers they are friends and business partners in a restaurant in London, and this book is a collaboration of them going home and finding the food of their city. How they met was they were both employed in the same restaurant in London and bonded "over a shared language—Hebrew—and a joint "incomprehension of traditional English food".
The pictures are as appetising as the recipes. If you know anything about Israeli food, you would know that it relies on a large variety of really fresh veggies and that Middle Eastern food in general, is less about meat and more about everything else and it usually has cumin, oregano and sesame in it somewhere. The best dish of all is a plate of Palestinian hummus, marked in circles with a fork, drizzled with olive oil and tahina sauce, a pile of chickpeas, soft and delicious in the middle, all dusted with paprika and pita or esh tanoor, a giant flat bread baked on the side of a clay oven, to mop it up. Gee, I'm hungry now. Sadly it isn't diet food, or not in the quantities I could eat it.
There's a Syrian shop (really Palestinian, all Arabs in the Caribbean are called Syrians but all are Palestinian or Lebanese), close to me and it imports food from Palestine, it is hard to resist buying the tins, boxes and packages, especially the giant boxes of sweets and candies. But the only one I give in to (regularly) is the vine leaves. They do stuffed vine leaves better than anyone else, more of a vine perfume and taste (especially the oil/water they are packed in), although the rice filling is pretty much the same as the Greek dolma.
So the book, great pictures, great recipes, a great Palestinian/Israeli collaboration by two friends who own four restaurants together in London. The extrovert Ottolenghi is the public face, and Tamimi the executive chef. He's written a book of his own on Palestine and food, Falastin: A Cookbook. I'm looking forward to reading it.
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I read this New Yorker article on them. A bit long but very interesting. Maybe like a seven course meal when three dishes would have sufficed.
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I've rewritten and expanded the review Nov 2020, because I discovered that for some GR reason, there are no finish date or shelves with this book, when it was on lots of them. What is happening to GR? If you want to see some pics and get the recipes, go here.
The pictures are as appetising as the recipes. If you know anything about Israeli food, you would know that it relies on a large variety of really fresh veggies and that Middle Eastern food in general, is less about meat and more about everything else and it usually has cumin, oregano and sesame in it somewhere. The best dish of all is a plate of Palestinian hummus, marked in circles with a fork, drizzled with olive oil and tahina sauce, a pile of chickpeas, soft and delicious in the middle, all dusted with paprika and pita or esh tanoor, a giant flat bread baked on the side of a clay oven, to mop it up. Gee, I'm hungry now. Sadly it isn't diet food, or not in the quantities I could eat it.
There's a Syrian shop (really Palestinian, all Arabs in the Caribbean are called Syrians but all are Palestinian or Lebanese), close to me and it imports food from Palestine, it is hard to resist buying the tins, boxes and packages, especially the giant boxes of sweets and candies. But the only one I give in to (regularly) is the vine leaves. They do stuffed vine leaves better than anyone else, more of a vine perfume and taste (especially the oil/water they are packed in), although the rice filling is pretty much the same as the Greek dolma.
So the book, great pictures, great recipes, a great Palestinian/Israeli collaboration by two friends who own four restaurants together in London. The extrovert Ottolenghi is the public face, and Tamimi the executive chef. He's written a book of his own on Palestine and food, Falastin: A Cookbook. I'm looking forward to reading it.
___________________
I read this New Yorker article on them. A bit long but very interesting. Maybe like a seven course meal when three dishes would have sufficed.
___________________
I've rewritten and expanded the review Nov 2020, because I discovered that for some GR reason, there are no finish date or shelves with this book, when it was on lots of them. What is happening to GR? If you want to see some pics and get the recipes, go here.
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Reading Progress
January 12, 2017
–
Started Reading
January 12, 2017
– Shelved
January 12, 2017
– Shelved as:
acquired
June 9, 2017
– Shelved as:
a-1-review
November 12, 2020
– Shelved as:
2020-100-reviews
November 12, 2020
– Shelved as:
2017-read
November 12, 2020
– Shelved as:
cookery-food-diet
November 12, 2020
– Shelved as:
travel-adventure-countries
November 12, 2020
– Shelved as:
reviewed
November 12, 2020
–
Finished Reading
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Adina (notifications back, log out, clear cache)
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Jan 13, 2017 02:51PM
I am a fan of these two, of their food and their stories . However, it is difficult to cook after their recipes. You need a lot of time and some dodgy ingredients. The result is worth it though.
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Adina wrote: "it is difficult to cook after their recipes. You need a lot of time and some dodgy ingredients. The result is worth it though."Good to know, but I don't cook anyway. I just like reading cookbooks with plenty of pictures and stories. I'm a cookbook whore!
Wait. You do not cook, but you read cookbooks? That's like a priest reading Playboy. I am a lousy cook I do make seven things that are really, really yummy. One of them is Israeli Chopped Salad - wonder if that's in here...
LeAnne wrote: "Wait. You do not cook, but you read cookbooks? That's like a priest reading Playboy. I am a lousy cook I do make seven things that are really, really yummy. One of them is Israeli Chopped Salad - w..." Ottolenghi is the king of salads and veggies so they might have something similar. I like looking at the pictures as well. I do cook but I have more cookbooks than I will ever use. Ps. I love Ottolenghi's covers, so soft.
Wait. Everybody doesn't read a bit in cookbooks, then order in? (There is a bookstore just of cookbooks here in Portland ME - I sold them several fancy ones that scared me from my MIL's collection after I inherited it!) I'll have to look up Israeli chopped salad, tho. Did get a Palestinian cookbook this last year!
Yotam Ottolenghi has a few other cookbooks, one of which I read. They are usually good for food porn. I don't know this one but will have to check it out. Also, Zahav is one of the most gorgeous in terms of food porn and the Israeli recipes are quite good. Though I think you read this one already.
Zahav: A World of Israeli Cooking was a wonderful book, 10 stars from me. I wonder if Ottolenghi's cookbooks are better than most because he is a journalist and his writing skills are as strong as his cooking, or stronger?
Petra X smoke fish no cigar wrote: "Zahav: A World of Israeli Cooking was a wonderful book, 10 stars from me. I wonder if Ottolenghi's cookbooks are better than most because he is a journalist and his writing skills a..."I think this is the case. I read so many cookbooks like you, and some comments that the authors make are just silly and dumb. But they are not writers and frankly, don't think they have much of a story to tell. That was one of the reasons I loved Zahav so much, the stories inside were just as beautiful as the pictures and recipes. In terms of a story, with strong writing skills, another to check out is My Kitchen Year: 136 Recipes That Saved My Life.
What a title! I could use some life-saving recipes most days...:-) On order.
Adina, you were right! This only mentions what he puts in and not quantities, but he does have recipes! I chop cucumbers, purple onion, yellow or orange bell pepper, carrots, tomatoes, and minced parsley - toss w lemon juice, splash of EVOO, kosher salt n pepper. Sometimes I omit the tomatoes, but this stays crunchy for days on end in the fridge and the marinade just gets better. The colors are fab!http://www.epicurious.com/recipes/foo...
I don't remember if it was from this book or his Plenty that I made some of the recipes, but they weren't as hard as they sound and came out well.
LeAnne wrote: "Adina, you were right! This only mentions what he puts in and not quantities, but he does have recipes! I chop cucumbers, purple onion, yellow or orange bell pepper, carrots, tomatoes, and minced p..." I like Fattoush. I usually eat a version of this at Lebanese restaurants.
Adina wrote: "I like Fattoush. I usually eat a version of this at Lebanese restaurants...."Those were the days. When we could still go out to restaurants with friends. Maybe one day again.... Lebanese is my favourite food, but I'd settle for a burger in company right now.
Petra-masx wrote: "Adina wrote: "I like Fattoush. I usually eat a version of this at Lebanese restaurants...."Those were the days. When we could still go out to restaurants with friends. Maybe one day again.... Leb..." I am lucky I had it and now people want to see me. Take away these days unfortunately.
Adina wrote: " I am lucky I had it and now people want to see me. Take away these days unfortunately..."Frustrating. Here we haven't had a single positive test in months, yet the gvt has a curfew on us and borders have been closed since March. I'm going mad....
I salivated just looking at the cover. When I lived in the Miami area, my sister-in-law had next-door neighbors who were Israeli and owned this little hole-in-the-wall restaurant that served food that would make quick tears come to your eyes. To this day, I haven't encountered any Israeli food that even begins to compete with it. Ahhhh, you have made me nostalgic with this!!
I love israeli, Palestinian and Lebanese food. They are all quite similar but I suppose their differences are what makes them special. i went to a glatt kosher place in a small mall downtown Miami last time I was there and there was a big tableful of people and one guy talking to the woman behind the counter. She said loudly to him, "I don't want any more new customers, tell them go away". It might have been said in jest or referring to something I didn't know about, but she could see me and it made me so uncomfortable I left. Shame, the menu was amazing. Parev. With cheesecake. Israeli cheesecake mmm
The best food I've eaten was in Israel. I've been to many countries and i am obsessed with food so my statement means something. I loved it so much that I would go back there even only for the food . I would return for visiting as well but the food, oh my god. Even the food in their plane was amazing.
Adina wrote: "The best food I've eaten was in Israel. I've been to many countries and i am obsessed with food so my statement means something. I loved it so much that I would go back there even only for the food..."I so agree with you. I love Israeli, well all Middle-Eastern, food. It's the freshness and simplicity I like and the fact that the food is vegetarian and vegan friendly - you don't have to go for some 'vegetarian option'. I'm not a vegetarian these days, I just prefer vegan and vegan food. Nothing like a good hummus dip (Palestinian is the best, in the Old City) with pita and olives and tomatoes accompanied by mint tea and a piece of mishmish leather (the apricot stuff) to chew on.
This book has gotten so much hype, but it is worth it. We've cooked at least twenty of these recipes multiple times and they always turn out. Unlike those in a lot of other cookbooks, the measurements & ratios are on point. A great book.
Andrew wrote: "This book has gotten so much hype, but it is worth it. We've cooked at least twenty of these recipes multiple times and they always turn out. ..."I don't actually cook. But I'm really great at eating and appreciating others' efforts! (I can cook, I cooked in a restaurant in Jerusalem, but when I got promoted into management I swore I'd never cook again).
I"m drooling! The Palestinian hummus and vine leaves sound divine!
Jenna wrote: "I"m drooling! The Palestinian hummus and vine leaves sound divine!"They are. Israeli and Palestinian food is amazing. That's why this cookbook is so good I think. Plus Ottolenghi has Italian heritage and the two authors met as chefs in an Italian place, so there is that influence too. Luckily not everything has to be about politics!
Petra-masx wrote: "Adina wrote: "The best food I've eaten was in Israel. I've been to many countries and i am obsessed with food so my statement means something. I loved it so much that I would go back there even onl..." The Falafel in The Old City is also amazing. Had it together with the Hummus and one day I'll return for seconds.
Petra-masx wrote: "Andrew wrote: "This book has gotten so much hype, but it is worth it. We've cooked at least twenty of these recipes multiple times and they always turn out. ..."I don't actually cook. But I'm rea..." I am also fantastic at eating and appreciating other's efforts. I can cook but I'd rather not.
Adina wrote: "I am also fantastic at eating and appreciating other's efforts. I can cook but I'd rather not..."Shades of Bartleby the Scrivener!
Great review, except that now I'm hungry!!!
The review, commentary, and and scrumptious pictures are having me hunger for the Israeli food and recipes. Maybe it’s because I haven’t eaten yet today. Well at least if you don’t cook, you sure enjoy food and cookbooks.
Deborah wrote: "Well at least if you don’t cook, you sure enjoy food and cookbooks...."I've been living in hotels for 3 months. Minimalist, boutique ones. Few possessions, daily cleaning, only a coffee machine and microwave (and a date for dinner almost every night, or else Whole Foods). It was bliss. No domesticity at all. Cookbooks are for reading!
